The Realtors Association of Maui recently donated two of its contingency funds to the National Association of Realtors’ Relief Foundation to assist victims of Hurricane Harvey and Irma.

Last month, the Realtors Association of Maui (RAM), led by RAM’s immediate past president Marilyn Griffin, stepped up to help the victims of recent hurricanes in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico. PC: RAM

The foundation is dedicated to providing housing-related assistance to victims of disasters.

Marilyn Griffin, now RAM’s immediate past president, decided to donate RAM’s presidential contingency fund—a reserve of $2,000 set aside every year to cover unforeseen expenses, at the president’s discretion—to NAR’s Realtors Relief Foundation. The donation was one of her final acts as RAM’s 2016-17 president.

Griffin said she never saw a reason to tap into the fund however, she says that changed when the tragedy began to unfold in Texas. “What I was seeing on the news was absolutely heartbreaking,” she said. “There was no question in my mind that I should use the contingency fund to help the victims of Hurricane Harvey.”

After Hurricane Irma made landfall on Florida a week later, members of the RAM’s executive committee and Griffin unanimously voted to use the committee’s own contingency fund of $3,000 to increase the donation amount to $5,000.

NAR launched the Realtors Relief Foundation as the Realtors Relief Fund in 2001 after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The group raised more than $8.4 million to provide assistance to surviving family members so they could stay in their homes.

Since then, more than $25 million has been raised for victims of disasters, including wildfires, tornadoes, floods and hurricanes. Today, the Realtors Relief Foundation exists as a 501(c)(3) organization established to provide housing-related assistance to victims of disasters and for other charitable purposes.

Griffin encourages others to donate to any Hurricane Harvey, Irma or Maria relief effort in the coming weeks and months. “The storms may have passed, but people still need our help,” she said. NAR’s Realtors Relief Foundation welcomes contributions—not only in times of disaster, but at any time throughout the year—and 100% of all funds collected go to disaster relief causes.

Click here to learn more about NAR’s Realtors Relief Foundation.